Wednesday, 6 April 2011

The previous wine I tried from Domaine de La Sanglière (a Grenache-based red from old vines, reviewed here) was a curiously enjoyable mixture of the fun and the serious, and this rosé was equally intriguing and appealing.

The Domaine was established in 1980 by Francois Devictor in the idyllically-named village of Borme Les Mimosas just a few kilometres inland from the Mediterranean in southern Provence where marine breezes moderate both the cold of winter and the heat of summer.

The winery is now managed by two of Francois' sons, Remy and Olivier and this being Provence. most of the wines are, of course, rosé.

The vines for this wine - Cinsault (c.80% for aromatic, fresh suppleness) and Grenache (c.20% for roundedness) - are tended organically with a respect for nature that is at the heart of the domaine's membership of Patrimoine des Terroirs.

With the grapes picked at night and pressed under CO2 to preserve freshness and a short cold maceration to prevent the development of colour, the resulting wine is a very pale salmon-mousse pink in the bottle - paler, indeed, than many an oaky white.

After an almost slightly smokey nose, the surprises continue with an unexpectedly aromatic, almost herbaceous and Sauvignon-esque palate.

It is mouthfilling with ripe-yet-crisp redcurrant fruit acidity and a gentle, mineral finish.

Medium-bodied and aromatic with refreshing acidity, it matches best with something fairly light with regional herbs, such as white fish in a herby broth and vegetables roasted with rosemary and sage; it will also cut through soft white or creamy cheeses nicely.